Timer modifications

[Drako Slyith]

I was coding and ran into two problems with timers:
A. You can't put code into the timer, you have to have tags i.e. you can't do:

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(sysAddObjRecurringTimerEvent 60 gSource (setq roll (random 1 100)))

To pick a new random number every 2 seconds. You would have to do:

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<OnCreate>
(sysAddObjRecurringTimerEvent 60 gSource 'NewRandom)
</OnCreate>
<NewRandom>
(setq roll (random 1 100))
</NewRandom>

Normally this isn't a problem, but if you're putting a weapon so it has an effect every 15 ticks after it hits something, then it gets very complicated.

B. There isn't a function that says if an object has a timer on it. If you want to make sure that you don't have 2 identical timers running at the same time, you have to cancel the timer then add the new one, which then resets the timer. I'm asking for code like this:

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(objHasTimerEvent gSource 'Timer)

Which would return nil if there isn't a timer on it called "Timer" and would return true if there is the timer called "Timer". Then you could do this:

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(if (not (objHasTimerEvent gSource 'Timer))
(sysAddObjTimerEvent ### gSource 'Timer)
) 

Then it adds the timer if it isn't already there, and won't make two identical timers, or reset the timer.

[alterecco]

Number 2 you can handle yourself. When the timer starts running, set a value you can access somewhere to true. When you cancel it (if you cancel it) set it to false. Then, when you are wondering if you should start a new timer, check if that value is true.

Number 1 would be nice, but takes a bit more work. They are basically anonymouse events. I would like to see some new functions for that. You have to think of:

1) How do you cancel them (probably a return value you can pass to another function)
2) are they still bound to an object, or should that be optional (ie. gSource)
3) are they still bound to a system, or should that be optional (would be nice to have recurring events that crossed systems)
4) ???
5) Profit!

[Drako Slyith]

1. I think that an easy way to make it work would be to have a new data field in the timer that saves the timer under a variable, i.e.

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(sysAddObjTimerEvent "TimerA" 100 gSource (setq randomNumber (random 1 100)))

That would save the timer under the variable "TimerA" which could then be called by name, i.e.

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(sysCancelTimerEvent gSource "TimerA")

So it cancels in the same format, but it cancels the timer directly. If you want to use events like normal, you could do

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(sysAddObjTimerEvent "TimerB" 100 gSource 'TimerTag)

Which runs the event "TimerTag" and can be canceled by:

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(sysCancelTimerEveng gSource "TimerB")

2. I think that they should be bound to an object, because otherwise they would be running globally, and could conflict if multiple ships have the same timer, like Xen. Worldship. It would be nice to have the ability to do global timers. Maybe an option in the location field to put gGlobal or something to run it globally?
3. I'm not really sure.
4. What?
5. What? (again)